With Eisenkot and PM neck and neck, how ugly will election campaign get? - opinion

Israel's election campaign for the 26th Knesset is shaping up to be a complicated and potentially acrimonious affair, extending beyond the traditional coalition versus opposition dynamic. The political landscape is fragmented, with internal sub-struggles anticipated within various sectors, including the national religious, Arab, and ultra-Orthodox communities, alongside divisions within the liberal bloc and among former Likud members.

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As the election campaign for the 26th Knesset gets started, one is impressed that it is going to be a pretty complicated and possibly nasty affair.

With lists able to register until September 7, new political groups are considering their participation based on perceived chances of crossing the 3.25% electoral threshold. Existing parties also face decisions on whether to run independently or merge with others. The Central Elections Committee will be the focal point for these strategic decisions.

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Currently, there are quite a few new political groups that are considering running in the elections. They will presumably decide whether to run on the basis of their feelings when the time comes, and on whether they are likely to pass the 3.25% qualifying threshold.

Currently, the primary contest for the premiership is between former IDF chief of staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud. Most opinion polls indicate Eisenkot is slightly favored over Netanyahu and that Yashar and Likud are projected to receive a similar number of seats (21-23). This close race has prompted the Likud to concentrate its efforts on undermining Eisenkot.

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At the moment, the two main contenders for the premiership are former IDF chief of staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot from Yashar and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the Likud.

The Likud's strategy appears to involve attacking Eisenkot's perceived weaknesses. Initially, they criticized his English proficiency, but this backfired. The campaign has since shifted to labeling him a "left-winger," a tactic that overlooks historical contributions of left-wing parties to Israel's founding. Eisenkot is generally perceived as modest, honest, and lacking Netanyahu's charisma, traits that resonate with voters tired of the current prime minister's style. The Likud's attacks aim to counter these positive perceptions.

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Most current opinion polls indicate that Eisenkot is favored as the more suitable candidate for the premiership over Netanyahu, and that Yashar and the Likud are around equal in terms of the seats they are predicted to receive (21-23). This reality has led the Likud to concentrate on besmirching Eisenkot for the time being.